


Useless

by Greenismyfav



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alpha Keith (Voltron), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Omega Lance (Voltron), Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-04
Updated: 2017-08-08
Packaged: 2018-12-11 03:38:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11706033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Greenismyfav/pseuds/Greenismyfav
Summary: Lance has only known rejection in his short life of seven years.  So he decides to give the ones who should be his family a present.  The only type of present that he's able to give.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> AU fic. I think Lance's family is great since he loves them so much. This is just a tale of "what if."

Useless

Chapter One

On quiet feet, Lance tiptoed towards the lighted window. Inside was a cheery scene of familial bliss as the family inside talked and lounged about in front of the brightly lit Christmas tree with steaming mugs in their hands. Lance made sure to stand to the side so he wouldn’t be seen. He wasn’t invited in there. He was forbidden from entering the house. He was the reject. The child that was never wanted. 

Sighing, Lance backed away slowly as he walked back towards the barn. How much he wished to be in there…loved as much as all his older siblings. Not out here, cold, and hungry. Abandoned like a piece of trash to sit on a stinky, bale of hay. How much he wished to feel a bit of the warmth that radiated from that window. To know what warmth, love, and acceptance felt like.

“And a full belly,” Lance snorted as his stomach reminded him that it been nearly a full two days since last he got a mouthful of anything, “That life’s not for you, Lancey. Not for you.”

The boy, barely into his seventh year, was an omega in a home of alphas. Not only an embarrassment of being an omega, but a sickly one. He’d been rejected by his father. Deemed as lower than a servant so here he sat a few short years later on a holiday that preached love, alone and cold. Starving. Coughing deeply, Lance pulled his ragged coat tighter around his thin frame. Sighing once again, Lance began to hum as he rocked to warm himself before singing a carol he’d heard many times before:

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,  
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.  
The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,  
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,  
But little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.  
I love thee, Lord Jesus! look down from the sky,  
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay  
Close by me forever, and love me I pray.  
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,  
And take us to heaven to live with thee there.

Lance exhaled as his breath smoked a bit in the cold, night air before coughing as the phlegm rattled in his lungs. He always was the sickest in the winter. 

“’Love me I pray,’” Lance repeated, “Would Jesus love something like me? Will I go to heaven when I die?”

“Everyone goes to heaven if they are good,” a voice spoke as Lance gasped and stood to see his eldest brother, “Are you good, Munch?”

“Sir says no,” Lance whispered, looking away from the eighteen-year-old, “Says I’m good for nothing, Diego.”

Quiet reigned until Lance felt a hand touch his shoulder.

“I’m sorry, Munch,” Diego offered as the boy looked up at him with sad eyes, “I don’t think that, but you know working the farm takes needed strength. We have to move fast to make our mortgage payments. This family has never had an omega before and father has no patience to…to…”

“Have me hold the family back because I’m weak and sick. That our family can’t afford medical bills on top of everything else,” Lance finished, looking down again, “I know, Diego, but I milked all the cows today and mucked out the stalls. I folded all the laundry Mama gave me to do and peeled so many vegetables. I try to please Sir…I just never will. Do…do you think when I die, Jesus will love a sick, weak omega like me, Diego?”

“What is this talk of dying?” Diego demanded, kneeling as the baby of the family looked up at him again, “It is Christmas Eve. Today is a day for happiness.”

“For you,” Lance sighed, making his brother’s heart break, “I…I’ve not had a Christmas before. What is it like? Is it warm? It looks warm. Is it fun to open the presents? I’ve never gotten a present before, but I bet it’s a lot of fun to rip the paper and see what’s inside. And, what does Mama’s hot cocoa taste like? You all seem to love her cocoa a lot.”

“Diego.”

Lance cowered when his brother stood to face their father.

“Get back in the house, Son,” Cruz ordered as Diego nodded and strode away, “What have I told you, Nino?”

“Not to ask about something that isn’t my business,” Lance recited, “I’m sorry, Sir. I-I just always wondered about…about what it is like to be…if I had been born right. If I had been worth something, what it would have felt like to have what you all get.”

“But you aren’t worth something so why ask about what you don’t deserve?” Cruz demanded as his youngest shrunk in on himself more, “You try my patience, Nino.”

“I’m sorry, Sir,” Lance whimpered before blushing as his stomach growled in hunger, “Sorry, Sir. It’s not my day for eating yet.”

Cruz glared down at his waste of a son. The boy was scrawny, dirty, and breathed with difficulty. A disappointment straight from birth. Death would be kind to take this frail creature away, but Lance hung on stubbornly to life. Cruz saw how much the boy tried to do. Had to respect the tenacity, but farm life was hard and he had no time to coddle a useless omega. However, it was Christmas.

“You try my patience,” Cruz groaned as Lance lowered his head further, “I should whip you raw for talking to my eldest, but I’ll ignore the breaking of the rules this time. No reason for punishment during the Lord’s birthday, Nino. Try not to get in the way, Useless. The hard workers are trying to enjoy a well-deserved break. I’d better not see you peeking in my windows again.”

“Yes, Sir,” Lance agreed, watching as the person who should have been his loving father marched away before whispering too quiet to be heard, “Merry Christmas, Papa.”

Returning to his bale of hay, Lance sat and curled up as he glanced up at the beautiful stars. Cold nights always made for lovely skies. The pain in his long ago, shattered heart throbbed dully in his chest. He was only seven, but his mind was much older since the world held no magic or warmth for the small boy. He was sick, dying, and unwanted. Not even Diego, the only sibling to give him a bit of attention, ever stepped up to defend Lance…nor his own mother.

“Useless,” Lance breathed, closing his eyes as the tears burned behind his lids, “Lord, who art in heaven, take me to heaven. It hurts to live and see the disappointment in Mama’s and Papa’s eyes. I’ll be good. I don’t make a lot of noise…except when I’m coughing, but I don’t mean to do so. Let me stay with you because no one wants me here. Please and amen.”

The boy wished his prayer would be answered, but some prayers were just never heard. Lance walked into the barn and curled up in a small nest he’d constructed out of scraps of feed bags and tattered saddle blankets. He slept and woke early to the rooster’s crow. Shivering, Lance sat up and coughed wetly into his hands before rising to begin his morning chores.

“Hi, Becky,” Lance greeted, placing the milking bucket beneath one of the family cows, “Let me try to warm my hands on your sides first. I know you don’t like cold fingers.”

Becky lowed and nuzzled the boy as Lance giggled, rubbing the cow with his hands to try and warm freezing digits. The seven-year-old milked the gentlest cow quickly and hurried with the half full bucket to milk Brownie next.

“Okay, DeeDee, please be nice,” Lance requested, retrieving a new bucket since his first was full, “No biting or kicking this time. Please, Dee.”

Everything was fine. DeeDee remained quiet and still as Lance worked. Dee was the family’s best milker, but she was feisty and hated Lance. Right at the end of her milking, DeeDee lashed out with her hoof and knocked the boy down with the full bucket.

“No,” Lance whimpered, seeing the milk spill before grunting when a hand hauled him up and slapped the boy hard, “Ah!”

“Can you not even do the easiest jobs right?” Cruz snarled, backhanding the child again as Lance fell, holding a hand to his aching face, “Now we are short for what Mama needs for Christmas dinner, Useless. Of course, you’d ruin this for us. You ruin everything, Nino.”

“I…I’m sorry, Sir,” Lance whispered, curling up to protect himself as a booted foot kicked at him, “DeeDee hates me. She kicked me. It wasn’t on purpose.”

“Mateo, stop.”

Lance uncurled to see Maria Cruz, his mother.

“I have some milk from yesterday. Take what we’ve got to Abuelah so we can begin getting it pasteurized,” Maria instructed as her husband nodded and left with the single bucket, “Lance, you should not upset your father on Christmas day.”

“Ma’am, it was DeeDee. She kicked,” Lance sniffled, showing his bruising belly to his mother with pleading eyes, “I did not try to upset Sir. DeeDee hates me. I-I know hatred better than anyone.”

Maria sighed, looking away from the small boy. His ribs showed around the hoof shaped mark. The mother hardened her heart. She couldn’t allow sympathy to interfere with the needs of the family. Lance was too much trouble for his worth.

“Well, perhaps DeeDee understands what a burden you are to this family, Nino,” Maria stated as her youngest flinched, “Get out of sight and stay there. I won’t have you destroying the holiday for my family. We work hard enough and deserve some joy. You are unneeded here. You have lost your day of eating for the mess you’ve caused. Go.”

Lance choked at the harsh words and fled to his hidden nest. Sobbing hard, the boy curled into a knot of misery. He was starving, his tummy hurt from the kick, and now he truly knew that not even his mother cared for him at all. He was useless and his family hated him. Coughing wetly, Lance trembled as speckles of blood sprinkled on his palms.

“I’m dying,” Lance thought, wiping the speckles on his ragged clothes, “Maybe I’ll get to meet Jesus sooner than I thought, but I don’t have to die here. I don’t have to burden my family anymore. I’ll give them a present…a Christmas present. The only one I have to give.”

The tiny omega rolled up two of his best saddle blankets and grabbed some rope. Quietly, Lance ran to the winter garden and pulled up several of the underdeveloped carrots to wrap in his blankets and tied the bundle to his back. He’d not last without something to eat. He knew this was stealing, but he was sure his mother and father would be happier that he was gone. Chewing hungrily on a single carrot, the omega trudged away through an overgrown field. The air was freezing cold and Lance was riddled with painful coughing as he walked.

“Oh,” Lance gasped when he peered through the tall grass and spotted a truck stopped on the roadside, “A bread truck! That’s headed for the city. I’ll go there where no one will find me.”

The boy watched as the cursing driver worked on the engine. The back was open with a tool box sitting open so Lance timed himself and scurried to climb into the back and hide among the shelves of bread. Time ticked. The driver finished his repairs and came to store his tools. Lance held his breath, hoping he’d not cough, before grinning when the door was pulled shut. He’d made it.

“Smells so good,” Lance hummed, sniffing at the packaged bread, “I wonder what you taste like, Bread. Mama’s bread always smelled so good too when she baked. I never had bread before. I’ve had hard tack and some vegetables before, but Sir said bread was not for useless omegas like me.”

Lance settled against the wall of the truck as he resisted the urge to eat. That’d be stealing from someone he’d already snuck a ride from. Diego said it. Only the good go to heaven and Lance wanted to go there. Wanted to find a place of peace for the first time in his life. 

“Soft,” Lance whispered, poking at a nearby loaf, “Wish I could. You smell so nice.”

Lance whimpered as his near empty stomach rumbled before he noticed that some of the shelves of bread has slipped and toppled. An idea formed as the boy stood eagerly.

“I will fix you,” Lance cheered, beginning his task, “That way the bread isn’t smashed. That is earning one loaf. Jesus won’t call me bad then because I earned the bread.”

Lance worked until everything was righted. He even chose the loaf of bread that has been smooshed and would be unsellable. He greedily opened the bag and chewed hungrily on two slices. He swore this was the best food he’d had in his life, but he wrapped up the remaining bread to save. There would be no telling when he’d find food again. Then he slept for a long time. He dreamed of heaven. He dreamed of being held in arms that cradled him and kept him safe and warm. He woke to tears of longing running from his eyes.

“Not a baby, Lancey,” Lance chided himself, wiping at his streaming eyes, “It’s warm and you ate bread. Jesus is giving a present to you for Christmas. Don’t act like this. It’s not time to cry. It’s time to find a place to meet Jesus.”

To die. Lance felt the truth in his bones. His time was running out. He was too small and too weak to survive another winter. Not out in the cold with no hope for warmth. He’d be brave. Diego had always said that alphas were brave and faced everything head on. The seven-year-old knew he was an omega, but maybe this omega could be brave and face his death without fear. He could prove to Jesus he was worth taking to heaven. 

The truck eventually stopped and Lance hid when the back was opened. He watched through gaps in the rows of bread for the opportunity to escape. He dashed away when the time came and found himself alone in a huge city filled with cars and lights. He kept to the shadows. He knew enough about the outside world to know that if he was caught, he’d be questioned. If he was taken back to Sir and Ma’am he’d ruin the family’s Christmas and he’d be beaten into a bloody mess. He survived alone for three days on his meager rations. Lance knew to locate machinery to snuggle against to get some warmth at night, but his coughing was getting worse…as was the blood he coughed up onto his hands. Desperation drove the boy to consider dumpster diving.

“Who are you?”

Lance whirled at the voice and hid behind the dumpster he’d considered scavenging in since he was so hungry. Someone had heard him coughing.

“Why are you hiding?” the voice said as Lance peeked out to see a dark-haired, violet-eyed boy peering at him curiously.

“I…I’m not supposed to be here,” Lance admitted, “I’ll go.”

“You have pretty eyes. What’s your name?” the boy asked, stepping closer as the omega hid at the tiny alpha’s scent, “I’m not going to hurt you or nothing, Stupid.”

“I’m not stupid,” Lance spat angrily, peeking back around the dumpster to glare at the boy before bending to cough a bit into a fist, “I’m Lance and I’m not supposed to be here, okay? I’m sorry that I walked into your alley…um, thingy. It just smelled good.”

“That’s cause Aniki is cooking today,” the boy chirped as Lance blinked at him, “I’m Keith and my big brother Shiro cooks in that restaurant there. He cleaned up this alley for me to play in when my sitter can’t watch me. It’s still the holiday season so I don’t got no school today.”

“School?” Lance repeated, lilting the word into a question, “I’ve not been to school before. What do you do there?”

“You learn, Silly, and it’s boring,” Keith chuckled before blinking as Lance stepped out from his hiding place, “Why is your face all bruised up?”

“I spilled the milk,” Lance answered as Keith’s eyes widened, “My Sir got mad and I was punished so I left. What do you learn in school?”

“Letters and math,” Keith began, realizing that the little omega reeked of hunger and weakness which physically shook the six-year old since he knew omegas should be treated better than what Lance had been treated, “Want some lunch? I can ask my Shiro and he’ll make us some lunch and I can tell you all about school and stuff, Lance. Eat with me cuz I get lonely when I stay here without someone to play with.”

Lance hesitated. He’d never talked with a boy his age before and the offer of food was tempting. Keith’s scent shifted to something comforting.

“He…he won’t be mad that I came into the alley, will he?” Lance questioned as Keith shook his head vigorously, “Um, okay. Thank you.”

“I’ll be right back,” Keith nodded out with a beaming smile, hurrying up some steps and through a door that emitted loud noise for a second before it closed again, “Shiro! Shiro! Aniki?”

Keith tugged insistently on his brother’s apron as the others in the kitchen grinned at the sprite. Shiro gave his supervisor an apologetic look before sweeping his brother up and over to a corner.

“Keith, I told you not to come in here,” Shiro fussed as his brother hiccupped in distress, “Keith? Otouto, what’s wrong?”

“Someone was mean to my Lance just cuz he spilled milk,” Keith babbled, pointing to the door, “He’s bruised and his clothes are torn and he’s hungry and he’s never been to school. He’s an omega and I think he’s sick, Aniki, cuz he’s coughing a lot. I don’t like that someone was mean to him. Can he have my lunch?”

“Wait, what?” Shiro gasped, “Who’s Lance, Keith?”

“My new friend. He’s littler than me and he’s cold and I don’t like that,” Keith pushed, pointing back to the door, “My Lance has pretty eyes and he’s hungry. I won’t bother you no more, Aniki. Please, can Lance have my lunch?”

Shiro blinked at his brother’s desperation to help Lance. What in the world was going on here?

“Okay. You wait here so I can get Lance and you’ll both have lunch,” Shiro decided as Keith beamed up at him through teary eyes, “Ramona, watch Keith for me for a second. I’ll be right back, Boss.”

“Sure thing,” the waitress agreed while the owner of the restaurant nodded as Shiro strode to the door and stepped outside.

Sure enough, if there wasn’t a boy waiting who cried out and ran behind the dumpster to hide. Shiro hadn’t missed the terror on the child’s face or the bruises.

“Hey now,” Shiro tried, walking over and kneeling so he wouldn’t frighten the child more, “I’m not going to hurt you. You must be Lance. My little brother’s been telling me all about you and how you’re going to have lunch with us. I’m Keith’s brother, Lance, my name is Shiro.”

Blue eyes peeked out at him as the boy…yes, Keith was right. Lance was an omega and the boy reeked of distress and illness.

To be continued…


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes when you try to give a present, you get one in return. One that you never expected, but need so very much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still just a "what if" type tale. I know that Lance's family in the original is probably phenomenal since he adores them so much.

Sure enough, if there wasn’t a boy waiting who cried out and ran behind the dumpster to hide.  Shiro hadn’t missed the terror on the child’s face or the bruises.

“Hey now,” Shiro tried, walking over and kneeling so he wouldn’t frighten the child more, “I’m not going to hurt you.  You must be Lance.  My little brother’s been telling me all about you and how you’re going to have lunch with us.  I’m Keith’s brother, Lance, my name is Shiro.”

Blue eyes peeked out at him as the boy…yes, Keith was right.  Lance was an omega and the boy reeked of distress and illness.

“It’s okay,” Shiro insisted, watching the skittish cub’s eyes flit to him and to the exit, “How about some spaghetti, Lance?  My spaghetti is Keith’s favorite.”

“Never had sketti,” Lance whispered as Shiro’s heart broke at the small voice and scared eyes, “Sir said that foods like sketti only for strong alphas and betas, not for omega ninos that are more trouble than worth.  Keith is really nice, but I’m not allowed sketti.”

“Yes, you are, Lance,” Shiro denied, reaching and scooping the shocked boy up, “Jesus, you’re freezing cold.  In we go, Little Omega, that is certainly good enough to eat _my_ spaghetti.  Hey, Boss.  Mr. Coran, may I borrow that blanket from your couch?”

The mustached man took one look at the boy Shiro held and rushed to his office and was back in a blink to help wrap Lance up snug.

“Now who is this?” Mr. Coran asked, picking up Lance as the boy stiffened, “What a handsome fellow.  What’s your name?”

“That’s my Lance,” Keith called, walking up holding Ramona’s hand as the kitchen staff gathered to see the frightened boy, “It’s okay, Lance.  That’s my brother there and Mr. Coran is really, really nice.  This is Ramona and her son is my friend.  His name is Hunk and he’s our age.  That’s Mr. Peters and that’s Ms. Fioma.”

“Fiona,” Lance corrected as the woman gazed at him in surprise, “That other name means someone who pees a lot, Keith.”

“Oh, oops,” Keith blushed out as Lance relaxed when the group tittered at the blushing cub.

“Let’s get all cleaned up,” Mr. Coran bubbled as Lance looked wary, “Have to have clean hands to eat and we’ll get you into some drier clothes.  The moisture outside has your…clothes too damp.  Come on Keith-Baby.”

“I not a baby,” Keith hissed, hopping over grumpily to take the owner’s hand held out to him, “Lance, tell Mr. Coran that I’m not a baby.”

“He doesn’t look like one,” Lance offered as the adult nodded at the child while they disappeared into his office.

“That is child neglect and abuse if I’ve ever seen such a thing,” Ramona snapped angrily, “That boy’s not seen a kind day in his life.  He’s overwhelmed.”

“I know,” Shiro growled, preparing the kids lunch, “He’s alone.  Probably a runaway since he mentioned a ‘sir’ that told him only alphas and betas get to eat and omegas like him are worthless.”

“Sounds to me like old school thinking,” Ms. Fiona sighed, “His eyes are older than his actual age.  He’s been put through a lot and he’s accepted his supposed place in life.  He’s of Hispanic descent.  He knew that Keith mispronounced my name into a Spanish term and was clever enough to figure out what the correct name might have been.  Those bruises are only a few days old so he hasn’t been on the streets too long, but those clothes….”

Shiro frowned before pasting on a smile when Mr. Coran came back in leading both boys by the hand.  Lance was wearing a too long shirt that fit him like a tunic with the blanket wrapped around him like a shawl.  The boy was too small and thin with feet snug in new socks.

“But my clothes never get washed, Mr. Coran,” Lance was saying as the adults frowned behind the child’s back, “I’d have to go around all naked.”

“That’s why he gave you that long, long shirt and some of my socks to wear, Silly,” Keith reminded as Lance looked down at himself, “Shiro, Lance has a big bruise on his tummy, right _here_.  Kiss it and make it better, Aniki, like you do for me so my Lance doesn’t hurt here anymore.”

Shiro watched as Keith patted his side while Lance flushed.

“DeeDee is a mean cow and kicked me,” Lance mumbled, looking down.

“A _cow_ kicked you?” Shiro gasped, bending to look down the boy’s shirt to see the bruise, “What did the doctor say?”

Lance looked up at him in confusion before grasping the question.

“No more doctors because they cost too much for Sir and Ma’am,” Lance explained, “It doesn’t hurt unless I press on it so I don’t think I broke anything inside me.  Don’t think so.”

“Okay, lunch and then we’re going to see a doctor, Lance.  We need to make sure nothing is truly broken,” Shiro breathed, feeling shock roll through him, “Come on, Otouto.”

Keith was settled in a booster seat and watched as Lance was sat beside him.  The little alpha eagerly dug in as Lance looked at the food in confusion.

“Worms?” Lance asked as Shiro snorted.

“No, noodles with my best spaghetti sauce, Lance.  You’ll like them because their warm and soft,” Shiro explained, winding a small bit up on a fork and offering it to the omega, “Open up.  Good boy.”

Lance hummed at the warm food.  The first bit he’d ever had and it was delicious.  His attempts at eating on his own were unsuccessful so nice Mr. Coran took it upon himself to feed the child while Shiro had to get back to the cooking.  It was endearing to see the two cubs chatting in between Lance opening his mouth like a baby bird as Mr. Coran eased more food into the starving child's mouth.  Lance ate as much as he could and even got to drink some milk before he grew sleepy and ended up falling asleep in the restaurant owner’s arms.  He’d not nearly eaten enough for any of the adults

“He’s mine,” Mr. Coran declared, holding Lance against him carefully, “I claim him.  This is my child.  Poor thing doesn’t even know how to use silverware.  I’m keeping him.”

“I don’t think it works that way,” Mr. Peters offered as his boss sniffed, “We need to call the police and get the cub hooked up with child protective services.”

“Of course, but he’s not going back to where he came from and he’s _not_ going into a boy’s home,” Shiro snarled as the alpha in him reared before quieting as his brother whimpered, “Come here, Otouto.  I won’t allow anyone to do that to Lance like was done to you.  You’re my brother now, right, Keith?”

“Yes,” Keith agreed eagerly, holding tight to his brother, “Foster care is mean like Lance’s Sir and the bad cow.”

“My cub,” Mr. Coran said, rising carefully with his fragile burden, “I’m going with you to take my cub to the doctor, Shiro.  Roger is on his way to take your place and Allura will watch Keith.  Ah, here she is.”

“Allura!” Keith cheered, reaching arms out to Mr. Coran’s goddaughter and his soon to be sister-in-law, “That’s my friend Lance and Mr. Coran is going to dopt him like my Shiro dopted me.”

“I heard,” Allura agreed, lifting the boy as she eyed the other cub, “Go, Godfather.  That boy needs a doctor.”

Turns out that Allura was more right than they all knew.  Not only had the cow fractured two ribs, Lance had been suffering from a congenital lung disorder that was the reason for his frequent pneumonias that he’d suffered with from infanthood.

“So what we are looking at here is a boy filled with infected cysts in his lungs,” the doctor described as Shiro and Mr. Coran grimaced, “He was born with these cysts, but he received no treatment to remove them which is how the infection grew within them.  I’m appalled.  We’ll need to operate and remove the cysts so the boy’s airways open up.  He’s been coughing up bloody phlegm.  Why was his condition allowed to fester this long without medical care?”

“I want to know that too,” a man said, walking up as Shiro frowned, “We meet again.”

“Yes, we do, Mr. Delson,” Shiro said as Mr. Coran looked the social worker up and down, “Mr. Coran this was Keith’s social worker prior to the adoption, Ted Delson.”

“Good to meet you, Mr. Delson,” Mr. Coran greeted, pumping the man’s hand in a handshake, “So you’ve got our little Lance’s case.  Good, I’ve already had my lawyers contacting a judge.  I’ll be covering the cubling’s medical costs and he’ll be placed with me as his temporary foster father.  Judge McNair has already signed off on it and I will be doing a petition for adopting.  As for who allowed this, only Lance knows that and he’s sleeping right now.  Interviews will happened with me in the room after we hear if he can handle questioning from his doctor.  Dr. Brown?”

“Right now, Lance is being prepped for surgery,” Dr. Brown began as the listeners grimaced, “I’d hoped to wait until the boy was stronger, but the infection is too prevalent in his lungs to wait.  I need signed consent.”

“You got it from me.  Mr. Delson?” Mr. Coran asked as the social worker looked up.

“Of course,” Mr. Delson agreed, signing the consent as did Mr. Coran before the doctor hurried away, “You had a hand in Keith’s adoption too, Mr. Coran.”

“Sure did,” the mustached man nodded out, “Keith had been through enough and needed Shiro.  You were making things too complicated.”

“I do what is in the best interest of my clients,” Mr. Delson snapped.

“Then you must have missed that Keith was so traumatized at age four by the group home manager that he’d _stopped eating_ ,” Shiro snapped back before withdrawing as Mr. Coran raised a hand.

“No arguing,” Mr. Coran urged, “Keith is where he needs to be and the focus needs to be on that baby omega.  You got the report, Mr. Delson?”

“Yes.  Found in the alley behind your restaurant, bruised and starving by six year old Keith,” the social worker read out, “Sick and freezing with torn blankets and ragged clothes.  You cleaned him up and then you found more bruising.  The child admitted to being kicked by a cow.  Says his name is Lance and he ate before you brought him here.”

“Correct,” Mr. Coran said as the social worker leaned back in thought.

“A cow means a farm somewhere,” Mr. Delson mused, “No last name?”

“No, but he seems to understand Spanish,” Shiro added in, “He said ‘ninos’ for boys and knew that a name Keith always botches meant something else entirely in Spanish.”

“Doesn’t narrow much down,” Mr. Delson hummed, “I want to know how it is that Judge McNair signed the boy off to you so quickly, Mr. Coran.  Omega cases are handled very carefully.”

“He knew me from when I took over raising my goddaughter when her parents died ten years ago,” Mr. Coran explained as Mr. Delson nodded in understand, “My background is impeccable, I have plenty of room, financing, and skill to raise that cub.  You will proceed in setting up an adoption hearing as soon as you’ve gotten the information we all need out of Lance-Baby.”

“You are…odd,” Mr. Delson snorted, shaking his head as he handed the older man his card, “Call me once the boy gets out of surgery so I can hear of his diagnosis while I begin paperwork on Lance’s case.  I’ll be in touch.”

“Good,” Mr. Coran smiled out before the smile dropped once the social worker left, “Blockhead.”

“First time I ever saw that man flustered,” Shiro cheered as his boss smiled slightly, “Seriously, you’re adopting Lance?  Just like that?”

“Just like that,” Mr. Coran sniffed, growling slightly, “I’ve never seen a boy so starved for love.  He told me…Lance told me when I was cleaning him up that he was trying to find a place so he could meet Jesus.”

“Meet Jesus?” Shiro repeated before choking, “He meant dying.  He was looking for a place to die?”

“I believe so,’ Mr. Coran agreed with a shudder of disgust, “His reaction to my touch was fear at first and then he just curled into my arms with a look of awe like he’d never been offered a gentle touch before.  My heart fell in love with the baby omega.  He’s my cub now and he’ll not be put through hell any longer.”

“I think my Keith has adopted Lance too since I think I caught no less than four or five “my Lance” remarks from Otouto,” Shiro mentioned as his boss smiled, “Keith has a habit of taking in strays.”

“Which is why you own five cats and a dog,” Mr. Coran chuckled as Shiro smiled with affection, “Lance will need Keith.  The two share a troubled past and Keith can help Lance rebound emotionally as long as the cub survives the surgery.  Disgusting to allow an omega to suffer when surgery might have fixed the illness easily.”

Shiro scowled as he nodded.  The two waited tensely and rejoiced when they heard that the surgery went well several hours later.

“He’s got pneumonia still, but we’ve got him on strong antibiotics,” Dr. Brown informed the two, “Lance was lucky he was found and you two knew to get him help.  His ribs are bandaged and he’s suffering with malnutrition, but good care and he should heal up.  His health will always be more delicate, but he’s an omega and that is normal.”

“Omegas are no weaker than any others,” Mr. Coran scoffed, wagging a naughty finger at the doctor, “Alphas certainly wouldn’t handle childbirth well, so stop the old ways of thinking.  You’re an educated man, Stupid.”

“Oh, smooth,” Shiro groaned as the doctor flushed.

“Nope.  I’m not listening to stupidity in regards to _my_ cub,” Mr. Coran snapped, surprising Shiro and the doctor, “If his family hadn’t been caught up in the erroneous views that certain genders are better, Lance wouldn’t have been put in this situation.  The boy was trying to find a place to die peacefully since no one ever cared for him.  A baby that young shouldn’t even have the where-for-all to even know to search out a safe haven to pass away.  My boy will not be put down anymore!  If you can’t show him respect, then I want a new doctor for my Lance!”

Mr. Coran’s mustache was nearly bristling in his indignation for the boy he cared for as a son now.  Shiro decided he agreed with his supervisor as he looked calmly at the doctor.

“Apologies,” Dr. Brown offered, “I didn’t mean that Lance was automatically weaker because he’s an omega.  I meant that his birth was obviously difficult and his condition hadn’t been addressed.  Omegas don’t bounce back as fast as alphas or betas when their health is compromised.  That is medical fact so he’ll have to be watched carefully and sheltered until his strength levels rise.”

“Then you should have said that first,” Mr. Coran grumped, feeling mollified, “Where is my cub?  I’ll be staying with him in his room.  Shiro, go let Allura know what’s going on.”

Shiro grinned at the dismissal thenhe caught a taxi to his boss’s house.  He caught Keith up when the boy ran to him.

“Where’s my Lance?” Keith asked as Shiro stepped through the door held by Allura.

“His lungs were sick inside and so the doctors had to go in and take out all the bad stuff making Lance sick,” Shiro explained as Keith whined softly, “He’s staying in the hospital with Mr. Coran until he’s strong enough to come home.”

“To his sir and the bad cow?” Keith whimpered.

“No, to his new home _here_ ,” Shiro soothed as Keith smiled brightly, “Go watch television while I talk to Allura, Otouto.”

“Kay,” Keith agreed, believing that all would be perfect so he skipped away before turning to Shiro, “Lance is _my_ omega and I’m going to protect him so he’ll never be sick or hurt again, Aniki.”

Shiro and Allura froze as the six-year-old skipped out of the room.

“What?” Shiro gasped as Allura chuckled.

“I’m sure that is just the innocence in Keith talking,” Allura advised as Shiro shook his head.

“Nope,” the alpha denied, “Keith doesn’t declare stuff like most kids without careful thought.  He was also scent-marking Lance.  I smelled my brother’s scent on the little omega which must have happened when the two were getting cleaned up for lunch.  I think we’ve got pre-bonding happening way, _way_ too early.”

“So, we’ll just watch the two carefully at puberty,” Allura snorted, “Perhaps it was meant for Keith to find Lance if the two were meant for one another.  It was Keith who brought Lance’s plight to our attention.”

“True,” Shiro sighed, “But to find one’s mate at six?  Unheard of.”

“Perhaps,” Allura blushed out as she glanced at Shiro, “I found mine at ten and I remember you declaring that nothing would ever hurt _me_ again.”

“Oh, hush,” Shiro crabbed, pecking his soon to be bonded on the cheek, “You and I were just kids, but I guess it does replicate Keith’s little display just now.”

T_T

A couple of weeks passed before Lance was deemed strong enough to be questioned.  Mr. Coran held to the omega tight as Lance wept against his shoulder.  The boy didn’t know his last name.  He didn’t know where he’d lived.  Lance had just known that he was scum to his family and that his running away had been his Christmas present to his abusers so he could die alone.  Lance had burst into tears when he found out that kind Mr. Coran wanted to be his new father.

“I’ll rush the adoption,” Mr. Delson whispered once Lance slept, “The investigation into where Lance came from will be ongoing, but parental rights have been stripped from whoever the parents are.  I have further evidence of other abuse since we noticed the old whip scars on the cub’s back.  The boy obviously trusts you so I see no reason to impede getting the boy into a stable home at once.”

“Then you are a smart man,” Mr. Coran allowed, rocking the babe in his arms, “Now leave so I can get him tucked back in bed.  He’s too thin and gets chilled easy.”

It was later that day that Mr. Coran snapped up the wrist of a young man and dragged him away from Lance’s room.

“Who are you?” Mr. Coran bit out as the teen looked down, “And how are you such a close match to the looks of the little omega I’ve taken in?”

“My name is Diego Cruz and I am Munch’s oldest brother,” Diego supplied as Mr. Coran stiffened          

To be continued…


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so it goes...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Same as before. Should I write more? Not sure.

Useless

Chapter Three

It was later that day that Mr. Coran snapped up the wrist of a young man and dragged him away from Lance’s room.

“Who are you?” Mr. Coran bit out as the teen looked down, “And how are you such a close match to the looks of the little omega I’ve taken in?”

“My name is Diego Cruz and I am Munch’s oldest brother,” Diego supplied as Mr. Coran stiffened.

“And just why are you here?” Mr. Coran hissed, “You are not taking that boy back to the abuse you and your family dealt onto a sick, starving omega.  He’s my cub.”

“I was…I don’t…” Diego babbled before sighing, “I don’t know what I want, Sir.  I just know that Munch disappeared.  He left after Mama and Papa were so cruel to him.  We think he ran away on Christmas day.  I love little Munch, but Papa just saw a drain on the family and threw Lance outside as soon as he could do so.  I’ve been looking for the nino.”

“I don’t believe you,” Mr. Coran spat, “You are what, eighteen?  I thought so.  You had the means to get that baby the help he needed.  You knew what was being done to Lance was wrong.  Explain ‘Munch.’”

“It’s short for ‘Munchkin,’’ Diego admitted holding his hands just so, “He was no bigger than this when born and I used to rock him and rock him because Mama refused to care for Munch as a baby.  Said it would be kinder to let the little one die, but I just couldn’t do that.  I took care of Munch before Papa wouldn’t let me anymore.” 

“I _can’t_ believe this,” Mr. Coran huffed, ‘You gave the little omega a loving nickname with no real love attached since you left Lance to suffer in pain, cold, and hunger because a monster forbade you, but you could have told your teachers or another adult who’d have helped that baby.  You ought to be ashamed!”

“You don’t understand,” Diego whispered, “Times are hard in my family and we couldn’t afford the care Lance needed.  Munch was born early and he was a useless omega.”

Mr. Coran narrowed his eyes as Diego looked up at him with a heartbroken look.

“I love little Munch,” Diego whimpered, “I know you don’t believe me, but I do very much.  I’ve been looking all over for him because you are right.  I should have helped the nino long ago, but I was scared to.  I was just a kid myself when Munch was born.  I didn’t want to lose my family if Papa turned on me so I kept my silence and Lance has other siblings who feel the same.  It was cowardly.”

“It was,” Mr. Coran snapped, “I should have you all arrested.”

“God, no,” Diego denied, “Please.  I…none of us have any other place to go.  We don’t have anyone else to turn to.  Please.  I have other siblings that are young and you’d destroy them.  Please!  Please, Senor…um?”

“Coran,” the adult sighed, shaking his head, “I don’t know.  Other cubs, hm?”

Mr. Coran wanted Diego and his family to feel every bit of pain Lance had gone through.  Wanted them to be punished by the law’s standards, but the whole thing was a giant mess.

“Leave,” Mr. Coran ordered, pointing away from where his new cub slept, “I will not tell anyone of our meeting since Lance told me he wanted his old family to be happy and that he loved you all despite how terribly you treated that sweet cub.  Your family and disgusting parents will be safe from investigation as long as you all are not tracked down.  Lance doesn’t know his own surname.  Pray you are not found because you will be brought up on charges for gross neglect and abuse of a minor and I think that is fair, but it would kill the little omega.  For now, know that Lance is _my_ responsibility and he is safe and well.”

“His health?” Diego asked, “How is my Munch doing?”

“He’s not ‘your' anything.  _My_ Lance had a painful operation to remove infected cysts in his lungs,” Mr. Coran snorted as Diego paled, “An operation that should have been done years ago, but he’ll heal and live a full life.  That is all you need know.  Leave.”

“I’m sorry,” Diego apologized, wilting in place, “I was only eleven when Munch was born.  I didn’t realize until years later that what was being done to Lance was wrong and by then…I didn’t know how to help without ripping all of our lives apart.  I failed as an older brother.”

“You did,” Mr. Coran agreed, “But now you can make it right.  Leave and let me be the parent that Lance has always needed.  He’ll be safe and loved.  Never come back.  Lance is no longer a member of your pack.  He’s my cub now.”

“Si, Senor Coran,” Diego agreed, trembling, “Please…love him, Senor.  Munch only ever wanted that.  I think he yearned to go to heaven to feel love from Jesus since he had no one who could openly love him here on Earth.  Love him for me too.  I beg of you.”

“I will love him until my dying day,” Mr. Coran vowed, “He won’t hurt anymore.  Goodbye, Diego Cruz.  Stay away from my son.”

And so it was.  Lance’s life changed dramatically.  He had a new father who loved him and an older brother in Shiro.  Keith and Lance were the best of buds that argued like little hellcats to show their affections for one another.  Keith was Lance’s alpha and beta Hunk became the tiny omegas best friend.  Then baby Katie was added to the group which everyone nicknamed Pidgeon or Pidge since she tended to coo when happy.  Katie was the younger sister of Shiro’s best friend, Matt.  Time passed and Lance knew happiness and then he knew bonding when Keith claimed the omega while they were in college.  He’d thought he’d forgotten his days on that farm until...

“Munch?”

Twenty-one-year-old Lance tensed at the name as he trembled where he stood.  He’d just been about to get Keith a water bottle from the cooler when the softly called name caused him to freeze.

“Lance?” Keith called, dropping the football he held when he smelled his omega’s distress before snarling as he raced to his mate’s side, “Who the _fuck_ are you?  Get away from my mate!”

“I mean no harm,” the older alpha offered as Lance turned to see his eldest brother, “Oh, Munch.  You’ve grown so tall and strong.”

“ _Who_ are you?” Shiro demanded, standing from the picnic blanket to place himself between two of his pack and this strange male, “How do you know our Lance?”

“Diego,” Lance whispered as Keith narrowed his eyes before pulling Lance to him more.

“It’s the scum, older brother that allowed Lance to suffer,” Keith snapped, making Hunk curse softly and stride over to pull Keith and Lance further back since the omega had opened up to them years ago about his past life, “You and your lot nearly killed my Lance as a cub.  He was sick enough that he was dying when I found him in that alley when we were both cubs.  You’d have killed my soulmate.”

“I know and I can’t say how sorry I am,” Diego offered, looking down, “I swore to Senor Coran to leave and not look back, but I couldn’t, Lance.  I had to tell you how sorry I am for not being a proper brother to you, Munch.  For not getting you help when you were too small and whipped down to ask for help.”

Lance choked as he turned in Keith’s arms to be held closer.  The rest of the pack gathered around their upset packmate as they squared off with Diego to keep him back.

“They hurt me and hurt me,” Lance whimpered as his bonded mate held him while the tears started, “No one did anything until I met you, Keith.  I didn’t know what a gentle touch felt like.  I never ate warm food before Shiro’s spaghetti and I was so sick for so long.  I just wanted to go to heaven and stop the pain so I ran away.”

“I cannot even ask for forgiveness,” Diego sighed as Lance glanced back to him.

“And you _shouldn’t_ get any, you _asshole_ ,” Pidge snapped before grumbling as Allura placed her hand over the girl’s mouth with Matt’s tweaking her ear, “Ow!”

“I know, Senorita,” Diego nodded out, looking to Lance, “I’m not asking you to forgive, Lance, because you were put through hell as just a cub, but I want you to know that they found us, Nino.  DSS found the family and Mama and Papa were punished for allowing your suffering.  They admitted that they were wrong and have felt such shame.  The whole family was wrong, Munch.  That makes nothing better, but we didn’t get away with your neglect and abuse.  We’re all sorry and wanted to reach out to you.  Papa and Mama are so sorry, Lance”

“I…I forgive all of you, but I don’t want to see you or anyone else,” Lance stuttered, clinging tighter to Keith as the alpha backed his mate further from the one hurting his omega, “I have a real pack that loves me even if I get sick a lot in the winter.  They love me for me and not for how much work I can do.  We support one another, alpha, beta, or omega.  Father Coran adores me and I’m happy.  I’m happy with my alpha and my life.  You…you are not a part of that.  I _don’t_ want you to be a part of what I have now.  I’m so sorry, Diego, but I still have nightmares of the times I was beaten.  You just remind me of that horrible time of pain and rejection when nobody did anything, but allow me to be hurt.  Go away, Diego.  I-I…Keith, I want to go home.”

“Okay, Baby.  We’ll go home,” Keith assured, catching the keys thrown to him by Shiro as he led his mate away, “I better never catch your scent near my mate, Filth.  Never!”

“That goes for all of us,” Hunk and Shiro spoke as one as Lance glanced once more to his crestfallen brother.

“No, Baby, don’t look back,” Keith instructed as Lance looked to him, “He was young and made mistakes, but his presence hurts you.  I can scent it.  This isn’t about Diego.  It’s about you, Lance.  It took you years of therapy to put your past behind you and you still have nightmares.  The same happened with me.  Let’s focus on our present and future.  The past can’t hurt us anymore, right?”

Lance looked down before smiling softly as he nodded.  Keith was right. 

“Wait,” Diego yelled out as Lance stiffened, but refused to turn around, “I love you, Baby Brother.  I can’t fix what is broken between us, but I understand your feelings.  Don’t feel guilty for needing this space from a pack that hurt you so badly.  You do what is necessary for _you_ , Lance.  I just want you to be happy.”

“Thank you,” Lance offered, looking back to Diego as Keith grunted in agreement to the other alpha’s words, “Goodbye, Diego.”

“And keep the rest of your pack away from my mate,” Keith warned, “Lance’s _real_ family will be watching.  Our pack doesn’t take lightly to ones distressing our packmates.”

Shiro’s growl of intentional threat had Diego showing throat and backing away.  Lance shuddered as Keith hugged him close.  His alpha took him home and coddled his mate for the rest of the day.  Lance needed the spoiling.  Seeing Diego had scared him.  That night they had a sweet joining that left the omega breathless.

“I’m home,” Lance breathed, snuggling in Keith’s arms as his alpha purred softly to soothe him, “I’m where I’m supposed to be, Mullet.”

“ _One_ bad haircut and you won’t stop,” Keith fussed as Lance giggled, “Yes, Stupid, you are where your supposed to be, driving me nuts.”

“That’s right,” Lance snorted, wrestling with his alpha playfully as Keith growled teasingly, “They can’t take this away.”

Keith stilled at the “they.”  Lance’s former pack.  The bastards.

“I’m a part of _this_ pack,” Lance said as Keith nodded, “They can’t take me back.  I’m yours and our cub is safe.”

“Cub?” Keith gasped as Lance offered him a shy smile, “You…that’s why your scent’s been off.  You’re with cub!  Of course, those bastards can’t have my mate or young.  He was near you and my unborn cub!  I’ll _rip_ out his throat if he comes near you again.  I need to _feed_ you!”

Lance giggled as he was tucked under several blankets before his mate skittered naked down the hallway.

“You’ll come around Christmas,” Lance spoke to his flat belly, “And you will know love like no cubling has ever known love.  That I promise.  You will be the child that is very much wanted.”

And his beautiful daughter was cherished.  She was the apple of her Grandfather Coran’s eye.  Noel was loved for being the sweet omega she was by her whole pack, but none loved her more than her beloved daddy, the one that had carried her and protected her completely.  Only her papa’s love for her rivaled her daddy’s, but she was happy with both and three years later had the affections of a little, alpha brother that looked just like her alpha papa and that was good.  The pattern of abuse had been broken and now what remained was love.

The end.


End file.
